Call For Proposals 2023 Out & Equal Workplace Summit

Orlando, Florida

Pre-Conference Day: Monday, Sept 11, 2023

Workplace Summit: Tuesday, September 12 – Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023

Out & Equal seeks proposals for learning sessions at the 2023 Workplace Summit, the premier global convening on LGBTQ+ workplace equality. Every year, attendees report that Summit is both a life-changing experience filled with meaningful connections and a potentially game-changing opportunity to build and share best practices through workshops, keynotes, and conference activities.

Workplace Summit is the most trusted and reliable global source of LGBTQ+ Workplace Equality learning and development. The learning framework includes soft skills, hard skills, networking, and contributing to a transformative experience for attendees. This unique convening of DEIB Practitioners, LGBTQ+  Executives, and Resource Group leaders creates a matrixed network that collectively moves the needle on LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion both in the USA and around the globe.

The review committee will center peer-to-peer learning, and also consider submissions from others well-versed in LGBTQ+ workplace equality solutions.

Below, you will find all the details you need in order to submit a proposal.

About Out & Equal

Our Vision

Global workplaces where all people are equal, belong and thrive.

Our Mission

Out & Equal is the global convener, thought leader, and catalyst actively working to achieve workplaces of equality and belonging - supporting LGBTQ+ employees and leaders who thrive in their careers and lives and achieve greater impact on the world.

Our Strategic Priorities for The Workplace Summit, our largest public-facing program:

• Workplace Summit programming meets current and future needs by strengthening internal change agents, bolstering their effectiveness, and helping them incorporate and advance best practices in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) work.
• Workplace Summit maximizes impact by unifying executive leadership development, comprehensive DEIB training, and professional networking opportunities to help companies build inclusive and welcoming work environments.
• Leadership and Professional Development - learning to strategically leverage your story, maximizing advocacy and public speaking skills

Our Goal

Our goal is to challenge organizations and transform workplaces. Together, we can develop an environment where everyone can thrive.

Commitment to Inclusion

Out & Equal’s leadership, learning and events programs strive to be inclusive and diverse in all aspects. You help to meet this goal when you:

• Ensure diversity of thought and voices within your proposed session/s
• Forward this CFP to relevant resource groups and stakeholders
• Develop presentation skills in-house through inclusive training
• Encourage potential speakers to submit a proposal or join a presentation team
• Advocate internally for diverse speaker representation
• Check your materials for accessibility (more details below)

2023 Workplace Summit Highlights

• Additional pre-conference programming includes Diverse Leaders Fellows, DEIB Practitioner Leadership Labs, and a *NEW* Trans & Nonbinary Leadership Day.
• One submission form for Pre-Conference Day as well as Summit.
• Varied learning session durations: 60- or 90-minutes for Summit and 1.5 or 2.5 hours for pre-conference programming.
• Options for Virtual-Only or In-Person presentation. Note that hybrid sessions where one presenter is in person and another is remote is not an option.
• Bigger and better breakout rooms – there's plenty of space including room for quiet zones and networking.
• Varied room setups promote effective learning. Options include theatre style (chairs in rows facing front), classroom style (chairs at long tables facing front), and rounds (best for breakout / small group conversations).

For Speakers

• With Summit in early September, the CFP Process has moved to early Spring. You’ll know the status of your proposal before Stonewall/U.S. Pride Month (June), and have more time to prepare your final materials, process internal travel approvals, and meet pre-production deadlines for hybrid sessions,
• Maximum 4 (four) speakers including the moderator. In support of our commitment to elevate diverse voices, all presenters need to be identified before a panel can be considered for live streaming. Presenters must be either all in-person in Orlando or all remote. We do not have the facilities for hybrid sessions.
• All accepted sessions need to have at least one downloadable resource for attendees eg: worksheet, presentation deck, checklist, resource list, video, etc. (see section 6)
• All accepted sessions must provide materials and presentations in ADA-accessible formats. Your proposal can be submitted as-is, using this form, and successful proposals will receive additional resources to help meet this requirement. (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat, and GrackleDocs all provide an Accessibility Checker feature that verifies your file against a set of rules that identify possible issues for people who have disabilities.) 
• All accepted sessions will need to submit their presentation and downloadable resources by August 1. O&E will review your materials for accessibility and to support technical preparation for the conference, especially virtual and live-streamed sessions.
• If your proposal is selected, Out & Equal will provide these additional speaker resources:
  • Template deck to use for your presentation (title slide, survey slide, etc)
  • O&E brand assets for you to use in your own presentation and MarComm efforts
  • Accessibility resources for you to use to check your presentation materials
  • Language glossary to help us all remain current with shifting language norms
  • Social Media Amplification Toolkit
  • Virtual/live-streamed sessions may need to budget some additional time for technical pre-production (estimated up to 2 hours) so that together we can create the best possible online experience for virtual attendees. Details will be provided for successful live-streamed proposals.

Timeline*

Thursday, March 23 - Call for Proposals (CFP) published

Thursday, March 30, 10 am PST / 1 pm EST - Webinar to review CFP details. Register here. The webinar will be recorded with closed captions enabled and distributed after the event to all who register. 

Friday, April 30 - CFP Submission Deadline. Proposals received after that date will only be considered as time and need allow.

Friday, May 26 - Notification of Acceptance/Rejection

If selected

Thursday, June 1, 10 am PST / 1 pm EST - Workshop Presenter Town Hall

Tuesday, August 1 - All presenters submit their draft presentation decks & downloadable resources

Tuesday, August 15 - O&E feedback on presenter decks & downloadable resources

Tuesday, August 22 - Presenters submit/upload their FINAL presentation decks & downloadable resources

*All dates are subject to change at Out & Equal’s sole discretion